It is occasionally desirable to provide electrical connectors that may be mechanically and electrically connected together but not readily disconnected. For example, the ability to easily disconnect an electrical connector module creates a potential safety hazard in high voltage applications. Such a concern exists in some electrical connections located under the hood of a motor vehicle. One known device to deter separation of electrical connectors involves the use of mating connector housings that are snap fit together, a lock disabler being provided to prevent unsnapping thereof U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,550 is an example of such a device. However, a device of this type may be disconnected, if desired. Other known devices rely upon the use of connector position assurance (CPA) members such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,373. In structures of this type the CPA engages mating connector housings exterior thereof to lock such housings together. Such a CPA is not designed for use with connectors having internal latches that are not exposed to the outside of the connector. However, when internal latches are provided, use of a CPA is desirable to assure that the connector housings and contacts therein are mated, since there typically is no visual indication of such mating. This may be a particular concern in view of the tendency towards smaller connector bodies that house smaller connector contacts that make visual indication less likely. Another concern in view of this tendency is the requirement that such smaller connector bodies meet the same performance requirements as larger conventional embodiments. In order to enhance the performance of such smaller connector bodies, it has been determined that a preferred material is LCP (liquid crystal polymer) or a material having the same characteristics. Hereinafter, the material will be referred to as LCP.
Connector bodies fabricated from this material must satisfy performance requirements of the finished product. The performance characteristics of LCP material must also be taken into consideration. Another concern is that during fabrication of LCP connector housings by, for example, a conventional molding operation, the LCP material presents problems regarding weld line strength and filling characteristics of the material. Further, the flexible yet stiff nature of the LCP material presents concerns regarding the ability to fabricate a practical smaller connector module having a CPA and an internal latch.